An infamous poacher who is thought to have killed about 70 rare Bengal tigers has been captured in Bangladesh after eluding authorities for almost 20 years.
50-year-old Habib Talukdar, who is also known by the nickname 'Tiger Habib' for his notorious hunting skills, has been wanted for decades, according to local authorities. The poacher had been operating in the Sundarbans mangrove forests along the India-Bangladesh border and has topped the 'Most Wanted' lists by police and forestry officers.
Yet, every time the police raided the area in an attempt to catch him, the 50-year-old managed to hide and eventually escape.
Local honey hunter, Abdus Salam, said:
"We equally respect him and are scared of him. He's a dangerous man who could fight alone with [tigers] inside the forest."
Sharankhola police, acting on a tip-off, arrested Habib Talukder, 50, in the early hours of Saturday from Madhya Sonatola village, adjacent to the forest, under Southkhali union.https://t.co/wVc59Du48u
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However, on June 1st, Talukder was finally captured at his home in the Madya Sonatola village which sits by the forest.
Sharankhola Station Officer Md Abdul Mannan told Dhaka Tribune:
"He secretly entered the Sundarbans and hunted wild animals despite being banned from entering the forest long ago. He has been carrying out these criminal activities even though there are multiple cases against him. Some powerful gangs are involved in this … He was on the run for a long time."
The BBC reports that Bengal tigers are highly coveted by black market traders who benefit from the trafficking of their pelts, bones and flesh across the globe.
There are under 4,000 Royal Bengal tigers left in the wild, according to the World Wildlife Foundation.
Authorities say that Talukder alone was a threat to the region's wildlife and that his capture shall provide some relief to caretakers of the local fauna.
Regional forest conservation officer Mainuddin Khan told AFP:
"He was a big headache for us. He posed a great threat to the forest’s biodiversity."
[h/t: The Mind Unleashed]
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